1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for washing and disinfecting an endoscope cable assembly.
2. Related Art
Most of conventional automatic endoscope washing methods use chemicals of a glutaric aldehyde base within a disinfecting apparatus, and therefore an endoscope is dipped therein for a predetermined time after which the endoscope is washed. In this method, however, a foul odor of glutaric aldehyde remains in the endoscope even after washing, making it difficult to think that the endoscope was completely washed.
In consideration of toxicity of glutaric aldehyde relative to the human body, even if disinfection of the endoscope is complete, it is not completely safety.
Further, sometimes, an operator engaged in washing and disinfecting an endoscope feels ill due to the foul odor, or suffers from occurrence of bronchitis and dermatitis due to allergy with respect to glutaric aldehyde.
Furthermore, if the used glutaric aldehyde causes to flow into a drainage, its toxicity may affect on natural environments.
Attention has been paid to the disinfecting force of strong acidic water since several years, which begins to be used often in medical facilities and food-handing facilities. However, the strong acidic water has a disadvantage in that when it comes in contact with an organic matter, its disinfecting force is rapidly lost.
However, the strong acidic water is free from toxicity to the human body and has slight chlorine odor, which is used for medical treatment of allergy, is excellent in disinfecting effect, is safety, and involves no breakage of natural environments.
Recently, an endoscope washing and disinfecting apparatus using strong acidic water is being sold, which is a washing and disinfecting apparatus which filtrates again the strong acidic water used once for washing and disinfecting an endoscope to reproduce and use it, and merely serves to wash and disinfect a tube-insert portion of an endoscope to a patient. Apparatuses in consideration of washing and disinfecting an operating part are limited to a few apparatuses using glutaric aldehyde.
This will not solve a disadvantage that an organic matter, particularly, mucus or blood is mixed to thereby lose the disinfecting effect, and a little uneasy remains as an endoscope washing and disinfecting apparatus, and the possibility of secondary infection to a patient cannot be denied unless washing and disinfection including the operating part of an endoscope are taken into consideration.
In view of the foregoing, an endscope washing and disinfecting apparatus of an overflow type was developed which takes consideration so as not to give rise to occurrence of a disadvantage involved in strong acidic water at the time of washing and disinfection.
The apparatus according to the present invention is summarized as follows:
A U-shaped pipe washing pipe 3 for supplying strong alkaline water, strong acidic water and water in order is provided on a box 1,
an insert port x2 for inserting an insert part 9d of an endoscope is provided in one end of the U-shaped pipe washing pipe 3, and a storing part 2, an overflow part 7 and an overflow plate 4 are provided thereon,
the other end thereof being projected from the upper end of a soft cable 12 inserted into the U-shaped pipe washing pipe 3,
the washing pipe has two channels,
a first channel passing outside of the soft part cable 12 inserted into the U-shaped pipe washing pipe 3, further reaching the overflow part 7, and overflowing from the overflow plate 4 to the overflow part 7,
a second channel entering a forceps from the upper end of the other end of the soft part cable 12, and reaching a suction type forceps washing device 12 connected to a suction clasp 10a, 
the inside diameter d1 of the U-shaped pipe washing pipe 3 is made larger than the outside diameter of the soft part cable 12, and the radius of curvature y of the U-shaped pipe washing pipe 3 is buckled while causing the soft part cable 12 to overflow washing water from the overflow plate 4 and while receiving buoyancy thereof, and
setting being made so as to not come in contact with the wall surface of the U-shaped pipe washing pipe 3.
First, mucus, blood and the like adhered to the soft part cable 12 and the forceps hole 12a are washed in the overflow manner with strong alkaline water, and afterwards washed with strong acidic water, whereby the disinfection effect of the strong acidic water can be maintained. The forceps hole 12a can be reused immediately since it is finally dried by absorbing air from the suction port 17. Further, if drained, the strong acidic water and strong alkaline water are returned to water, thus not affecting on the natural environment.
The washing effect of the overflow type endoscope washing and disinfecting apparatus is eminent, and even in a bacterium culture inspection of an endoscope after washing and a bacterium culture inspection of endoscope washing and disinfecting apparatus, bacterium indicative of pathogenity has not been observed. Since washing pipe 3 is in the shape of U, the washing operation is simple and quick. Particularly, washing of the outer circumference of the soft part cable 12 causes washing water to overflow constantly whereby operation is carried out quickly and perfectly.
The washing effect of the apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 9. Let y be the radius of curvature of the washing pipe 3 in the apparatus of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 9, the case of the radius of curvature y1 of an imaginary washing pipe 3xe2x80x2 will taken into consideration. In this case, in the case of the radius of curvature y1, the buckling properties of the soft part cable 12 are small from a viewpoint of the buckling properties of the soft part cable 12, and therefore, the soft part cable 12 becomes buckled into contact with the wall surface of the washing pipe 12.
In this case, washing cannot be done with respect to the portion in which the cable 12 comes in contact with the wall surface. On the other hand, in the case of the radius of curvature y as in the present invention, the cable 12 can be buckled due to its buckling properties without contacting the wall surface of the washing pipe 3. At that time, of course, the buoyancy caused by washing water is applied to the soft part cable 12. Since at that time, the washing water constantly overflows from the overflow plate 4, the buoyancy applied to the soft part cable 12 is substantially constant.
That is, in the present invention, the cable 12 receives the buoyancy of washing water whereby the radius of curvature y by a portion not to contact with the wall surfaces of the washing pipe 3 is set.
A relationship between the inside diameter d1 and the outside diameter d2 of the soft part cable 12 is considered to be as follows: (FIG. 8)
d1xe2x89xa72 to 3 times of d2
Preferably, the radius of curvature y and the inside diameter d1 of the washing pipe 3 is large, but actually, there is a limit because the washing box 1 becomes excessively large in terms of design.